Anne runs her kitchen in a way that defies convention on multiple fronts — and that’s without doubt a good thing. Just 27 years young, she is head chef and co-owner of Public House, the fine dining restaurant in the Casino Luxembourg contemporary art gallery in Ville-Haute. Her methods are both unconventional and fresh, her outlook both single-minded and positive. Here is a portrait of possibly the most interesting young talent on the Luxembourg gastronomic scene.
What’s the real secret to being a good chef? Is it creativity, perfection, or teamwork skills? While all those things are no doubt vital, what makes a really good chef stand out from the crowd is personality. And Anne Knepper has this in spade loads. Her open, relaxed style and idealism is reflected in everything she does.
The Public House venture
Probably every chef in the world dreams of becoming a head chef and opening their own restaurant. For most, it remains just that: a dream. Anne, on the other hand, ticked both items off her bucket list at the tender age of 26. As is so often the case, luck also had a part to play in this story. The wheels of fate were set in motion when Anne was invited to serve as guest chef for one of the popular chef’s nights at the Bonne Nouvelle bar. “Davide and Mathias, the owners of the Bonne Nouvelle, had never met me before that,” she reminisces. “But there was an instant chemistry between the three of us.” That was back in July 2022, when Anne was still working at Casamadre in Copenhagen. Opportunity then came knocking in March 2023: “They told me that premises had become available in Casino Luxembourg, and we immediately started making plans.”The move back to Luxembourg proved not to be a difficult choice:”It would have preyed on my mind if I’d gone back to Copenhagen and let this opportunity slip.” It wasn’t long before Public House opened its doors:”It was initially planned as a 1-week pop-up restaurant, which was then extended to 9 months, and now it’ll be here for at least 3 more years.”
The name derives from the official title given to those British watering holes most people simply refer to as ‘pubs’. But if that conjures up images of a cosy little hostelry with dark wooden floorboards, think again. There’s more of a bourgeois feel about the historic interior with its high ceilings, Baroque stucco decoration and frescoes, which all manages to stay on the right side of kitsch.”We were really lucky to get this space!” enthuses Anne. The decor also includes a personal touch: dried wild shrubs and what appear to be freshly picked flowers adorn the windowsills and bar in wine bottles rather than vases. Near the entrance, there’s a little guest book in which customers can add a few complimentary words about the place or offer their witticisms.
Learning the ropes
Born and bred in Luxembourg, Anne initially focused on academic studies, completing an economics degree at HEC in Lausanne. However, her first taste of work in the financial sector left her feeling that this world was not for her. Then came an epiphany while working part time in the kitchen of a small restaurant during a semester abroad in Munich: “The first time I set foot in the kitchen, I realised this was where I belonged.” Eventually, her long-held passion for cooking and experience of working in a commercial kitchen gave her the courage to make a radical life change.
Having decided to focus fully on catering, she retrained as a chef at the EHTL and completed her final work placement at the renowned 3-star Geranium restaurant in Copenhagen. She stayed in the city for several years after that, working at Casamadre and Admiralgade 26.
Craftsmanship, transparency and quality!
“We’re surrounded by so many amazing products. I’d like to prove what fantastic things can be made with them!”
Anne lives by these three words. Her philosophy was shaped by the baker Julius Branthner, with whom she worked during her time in Munich. “These key words were a takeaway from that time, and I still apply them to my cooking to this day” explains Anne. “I’ve also stuck to my fundamental principle of making seasonal and regional food.” In her view, a paradigm shift is needed in the catering industry focused on the following questions: How are we eating? What are we eating? And what are we eating when? Only once we have considered these issues can we endeavour to consume more consciously and responsibly. Anne thinks back to what René Mathieu once told her: “We need to be more considered in how we consume,” she nods in agreement. “When he told me this, he was speaking straight from the heart. We’re surrounded by so many amazing products. I’d like to prove what fantastic things can be made with them!”
She gives the following assessment of a year in business: “People are responding positively to the concept. I’m glad about that, as it’s the only way I want to work in the catering business.” She’s in no doubt that when sustainable principles are applied, it’s not possible to supply everything all the time. “I believe it’s important to lead the way on these issues and raise people’s awareness of them” she explains. In this mission, she also faces challenges: “I’ve realised that many of our customers have no idea of what I’m trying to achieve.” She and her team have therefore accepted that they still have plenty of educational work to do. Many customers have never encountered seasonal restrictions, particularly in the fine dining sector. “We often have to remind our customers that in winter, there simply aren’t any tomatoes” she adds. “But they’re not ignorant; they just don’t necessarily associate this kind of thing with fine dining.” Anne uses storytelling to convey her message, either directly in the restaurant or via social media platforms such as Instagram. “Unfortunately, I don’t always get to people’s tables to tell them my story. Although my team are familiar with my philosophy and aware they need to promote it, it’s always slightly different when you speak to customers personally.”
Her convictions have also led her to interact with other chefs to pick up new ideas. The Four Hands Dinner provides one such opportunity: “It’s always such a great exchange of ideas, as you learn new methods and techniques.” She also appreciates the benefits of working with her new sous chef. “Every new member of staff brings something to the table — you just have to be open to it.” When asked with whom she’d most like to host a Four Hands Dinner if she could choose, she answers quick as a flash: “Manon Fleury from Paris! As a young head chef, she sets a great example and is very good at storytelling.”
Calm over chaos
“That’s just the way I am. I have no desire to change either myself or the way I run my restaurant.”
Not only is Anne’s personality reflected in what comes out of her kitchen, but her rules also apply behind the scenes. It’s no real secret that in many kitchens, harsh words and strict hierarchies prevail. Anne, however, takes a different, more gentle approach. “I would never raise my voice” she says, having experienced first-hand how things are done elsewhere and what it’s like to work under pressure.
On the subject of how she eventually signed a three-year lease agreement with Casino Luxembourg, she comments: “I’m mainly happy that we can now offer our staff some security.” It’s clear she means every word of this.”I see us more as a family than just a group of colleagues.Everyone contributes something, everyone is important, and everyone can rely on the rest of the team” she says, outlining her vision of teamwork, which sounds more like a statement of affection than a business model. “People sometimes say I behave more like a good friend than a chef” she admits. “But that’s exactly why we have such a great atmosphere at work. That’s just the way I am. I have no desire to change either myself or the way I run my restaurant.”
On top of all the menu planning, purchasing, organisation, marketing and on-the-job training, she somehow has to find time to prepare a perfectly balanced five course menu every evening. With all these jobs and commitments, it seems reasonable to ask whether there’s enough time left for a young woman to live her life. Anne gives the only right answer for herself: “Cooking IS my life. When I’m pottering around here with my team, I’m in my comfort zone, and I can honestly say that it rarely feels like work.” Obviously, time also needs to be made for friends and family. The magic word here is organisation. “I have set days in the week when I do certain things and also days when I take time out for myself. This clear division is extremely important. I keep Sundays and Mondays free. On these days, I don’t set foot in the restaurant, and I also leave my work phone there.”
It’s clear to us that Anne is someone who sticks to her values, and we hope that she reaps the full rewards of all her hard work. We wish her every success and to keep at it wherever the journey leads!
Find a recipe from Anne Knepper right here !
PUBLIC HOUSE
7 BD. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
L-2450 LUXEMBURG
